Sometimes it can be difficult explaining to non-furs why grown people seem compelled to wear animal costumes and behave silly in front of complete strangers. But if anyone harbors any doubt as to the aims of fursuiting, let this be your answer.

Even before  VancouFur 2016, the convention was well aware that it’s new hotel had been incorporated into the Canadian Government’s plan to resettle some of the 25,000 civilians fleeing from the Syrian Civil War. Staff took precautions to mitigate the inevitable linguistic and cultural gulfs that might separate these two very different groups of people. But when the convention started, the Syrians were nowhere to be found. They had all been relocated. The concern seemed to be for naught.

The weekend passed uninterrupted…until Sunday afternoon. As the attendees of the fursuit games departed from the main ballroom with only the closing ceremonies remaining to complete the weekend’s events, they walked into a lobby filled with newly arrived Syrian families. People who had escaped undeserved and unimaginable horrors now suddenly found themselves in the midst of people whom spent their leisure time dressed in animal costumes. It was the anticipated moment arriving at a most unanticipated time.

But when this first contact happened, no language or cultural symposium was necessary for these families to understand the magic of fursuiting. The result was pure joy; an opportunity for children to let themselves go bonkers with unrestrained happiness.

Thanks to all of the Furries who did their part to make these families feel Welcome to their new home.

The Fursuiters (a list of those appearing in this video; by no means a complete list of everyone who was on hand)*:
 crazyjoe1952/Border Collie
 Gilda
 KhordKitty
Maru the Cat
 nightdragon0/Hyshaji Nightdragon
 Reo_Grayfox
 saskPrairiedog/Munchkin

*If anyone recognizes the orange fursuiter in the Canadian hat, please let me know his identity so that he can receive proper credit.

“Somewhere over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World”
Israel Kamakawiwo'ole
Facing Future
Mountain Apple-1993